As many as 517 incidents of political violence were reported during the first quarter of 2012 (January-March) from all regions that affected 2,043 people, claimed 975 lives, with 927 injured and 141 kidnapped which show 45 percent increase as compared to the previous quarter (October-December). Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) stated this in its report released on Wednesday.
According to the report, Balochistan reported the highest number of 157 incidents of political violence followed by Sindh (136), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (120), Fata (75), Punjab (28) and Islamabad Capital Territory (one). The report says that the first two months of the quarter were the most violent for Balochistan with the highest number of 41 incidents being reported in January and 64 in the following month. On the other hand Sindh was on top in March reporting 62 incidents.
Registering an increase of 127 percent over the last quarter of 2011, Karachi remained the most violent district where 125 incidents of violence took place. Quetta ranked second with 46 incidents followed by Peshawar (37), Khyber Agency (33), Dera Bugti (17), Dera Ismail Khan (13), Nasirabad (12), Charsadda (11), Mardan (11) and Khuzdar (10). In the quarter monitored, 85 percent of the victims were male and their number was 1,733. Out of these, 868 were killed, 731 injured and 134 kidnapped. Four percent of the victims were female while 11 percent of them included both male and female. However, their respective proportions could not be determined, the report said.
Just as it was in the previous quarter, target killing was the most common form of violence with 160 incidents being recorded. There was an increase in incidents of terrorism aimed at general public, which numbered 98 as compared to 72 recorded in the previous quarter. The attacks on state security forces almost doubled to 92. The report compiled every three months, said the number of victims of collateral damage doubled during the reporting period - 265 people becoming victims as against 130 in the previous quarter. Eighty one people were killed, 175 injured and nine kidnapped.
During the quarter, 44 people affiliated with political parties were killed, injured or kidnapped. The number of victims in the previous quarter was 52. There were 33 victims in Sindh while KP and Balochistan reported five incidents each of such violence. Only one incident was recorded in Punjab. The PPPP was vulnerable in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh, followed by PML and JUI-F (KP and Balochistan), MQM (Sindh) and ANP (KP, Balochistan and Sindh).
During the by-election for six National Assembly and four provincial Assemblies seats, 14 incidents of electoral violence were recorded. The elections were held on February 25. Punjab witnessed seven incidents followed by KP (four) and Sindh (three). A total of 47 people became victim to violence during these elections with one person being killed and 46 injured. The killing occurred in NA-9 Mardan-I (KP), the report says. Among victims of electoral violence, two belonged to ANP with one of them killed and the other injured. Both these incidents occurred in KP. Political affiliation of other victims could not be verified.